Comedian and actress Dawn French has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding, according to a report by The Independent.
The 68-year-old, best known for playing Geraldine Granger in BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, pleaded guilty to exceeding a 30mph speed limit on a restricted road in England.
Court officials confirmed she was caught by an automatic speed camera on July 11 last year and was disqualified at a hearing at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
According to the report, French was fined £600 and ordered to pay a £240 victim surcharge and £90 in court costs.
The Independent reported that she already had nine points on her driving licence before the latest offence, meaning she reached the 12-point threshold that results in an automatic six-month driving ban.
French is best known for playing Geraldine Granger in the hit BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley.
While Dibley was a fictional village, much of the much-loved series was filmed in Oxfordshire, giving it a lasting connection to the county.
The actress became a household name playing the warm-hearted and witty vicar Geraldine Granger, a role she held from the show’s debut in 1994 through a number of specials and revivals over the following decades.
The Independent noted that drivers who accumulate 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period are normally given a six-month driving ban.
The report also states that motorists disqualified for 56 days or more must apply to the DVLA for a new licence before they can legally drive again.
The article also referenced another high-profile speeding case involving Emma Watson, who received a six-month driving ban after a speeding offence while studying at Oxford University.
Ms French has not publicly commented on the court ruling reported by The Independent.
